Under 5 February 2022 by Under 5

Under 5 the magazine of the early years alliance

WIN

February 2022

of a bundleand puzzles rom games f Toys Orchardpprox worth a 0 £10

Back in action

Lessons from the pandemic

Winter wonders Seasonal activities for your setting

Making an impact How to maximise the EYPP

contents 4

welcome

News

All the latest news and policy updates from the early years sector

My Under 5

Dates for your diary

Why the home language matters

Making the most of the EYPP

Social responsibility in the early years

Alliance members share news of recent events and projects A look ahead at upcoming Alliance training events How you can embrace children with EAL’s home language

Inspiration for getting real impact from the Early Years Pupil Premium

How you can help teach children about the importance of sustainability

Keeping cleaning safe

The RoSPA shares safety guidance on household products

20 Winter wonders

Exploring the Winter Olympics in your setting

23 Vitamin D: how to ensure children get enough

Supporting children’s intake of vitamin D in the winter months

24 Employing an early years apprentice A look over the rules on apprenticeships for the early years

26 Maternity leave in the early years

A legal guide to maternity leave and pay for early years employers

30 Back in action

Baby and toddler groups share the lessons they have learned from the Covid-19 pandemic

32 What is a key person?

Guidance to share with families on the role of the key person in the early years

WELCOME & CONTENTS

Welcome to Under 5 Welcome to the February 2022 issue of Under 5 magazine. It’s been another eventful start to the year for the early years sector with changes to the government guidance on Covid-19 and the pending roll-out of new funding rates. If you haven’t already, please do make sure you are signed-up to receive our fortnightly newsletter at eyalliance.org.uk. As many of the Covid-19 restrictions have now been lifted, we’ve spoken to some of our baby and toddler group members about the lessons they have learned in the pandemic (page 30). This month will see the start of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, which will capture the imaginations of many young children in the coming weeks. To help you explore this theme with your children, we’ve got some fun activity ideas (page 20) even if your setting escapes the worst of the winter’s weather. February’s cold and dark weather can also be a concern for children’s health as many of us in England struggle to get enough vitamin D from the sun throughout winter. The ITF have explained the importance of vitamin D for children’s health and shared some advice for helping to make sure they get enough (page 23). If you’ve been thinking about taking on an apprentice in your setting, we’ve got a quick guide to the rules and restrictions (page 24). Still on the theme of employment, we’ve also got a guide to maternity leave and pay for early years employers (page 26). As always, it’s great to hear about the special events and celebrations our readers have been hosting. So whether you are marking Lunar New Year, Shrove Tuesday, St Valentine’s Day or another event, please do get in touch at editor.under5@eyalliance.org.uk. Rachel Lawler Editor

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in brief...

ANXIETY: The word “anxiety” was chosen by children as their ‘word of the year’ for 2021 as part of a survey by Oxford University Press.

Ofsted confirms inspection deferral plans

round-up DfE confirms ratio flexibility for Covid-19 absences The Department for Education has confirmed that the government considers the current rates of Covid-19 in England to be an ‘exceptional circumstance’, allowing ratio requirements to be temporarily changed. In the light of the current pressures that the Omicron variant is placing on early years providers – and particularly staff absences – the DfE says that the requirements in the EYFS framework can be temporarily changed. There is already provision within the EYFS guidance (3.31) which allows for exceptions to ratios to made in exceptional circumstances. It states: “Exceptionally, and where the quality of care and safety and security of children is maintained, changes to the ratios may be made.” The DfE has confirmed to the Alliance that Covid-19 is considered to be such an exceptional circumstance. Neil Leitch, CEO of the Alliance, commented: “The EYFS already allows for temporary exceptions to ratios rules in exceptional circumstances, and in light of the extreme challenges that many settings are facing as a result of the Omicron variant, we welcome clarification that the government does consider the pandemic to be an exceptional circumstance.

“There is no doubt, however, that the safety and wellbeing of all children attending early years settings must always be a priority, and so it is critical that any providers who opt to use this flexibility do so with the utmost care and caution, with any temporary changes underpinned by robust risk assessments. “Of course, with the early years workforce already under extreme pressure, moving to a situation where alreadystretched staff teams are expected to look after a greater number of children is not a long-term solution. What’s more, while this change may go some way to helping settings cope with the acute problems they are now facing, we cannot forget that the reason the current challenges are so severe is because our sector went into this pandemic in an incredibly precarious position. “Years of poor pay, little support and even less recognition have led to a recruitment and retention crisis which has forced many settings to operate with much fewer staff that they otherwise might. Ultimately these issues must be addressed if we are to ensure that the early years is not put in a similarly vulnerable position in the future.”

“The safety and wellbeing of children must always be a priority.”

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Ofsted has updated its inspection programme in the light of the continuing Covid-19 pandemic. Inspections have not been suspended and Ofsted continues to prioritise places where it has concerns, returning to ‘inadequate’ and ‘requires improvement’ providers as well as those it did not visit in the last cycle and newly registered providers who have not yet been seen.

Ofsted continues to prioritise places where it has concerns. Ofsted also confirmed that its registration and approvals work would continue. However, Ofsted is not currently asking any of its inspectors who are also serving practitioners to undertake inspections at this time, which it says will naturally scale back its activity. Ofsted also said that any providers who feel unable to go ahead with a planned inspection should raise this when they are notified about the inspection. It says that such requests will be looked at “favourably and sensitively”, unless it has urgent safeguarding concerns about a provider.

POVERTY: The number of children living in “very deep poverty” has risen to 1.8 million, according to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.

FOOD SCANNER : The government has released a barcode scanning app to help families make healthier choices when shopping for food.

Ofsted withdraws and clarifies guidance on significant events and health changes Ofsted has withdrawn recently updated guidance on reporting significant health events and changes, which provided an extensive list of health conditions and changes that could impact the suitability of those working in early years settings. The Alliance met with representatives from Ofsted in January to discuss the guidance. Ofsted fully acknowledged and accepted that the guidance caused significant worry and anger throughout the sector and have withdrawn it with a view to clarifying the contents of the document. In the interim, Ofsted has asked the Alliance to share the following points of clarity with the sector, with the hope of providing some reassurance:

• The guidance only applies to those at settings, including childminding settings, who are registered with Ofsted (e.g. the setting’s ‘registered person’) and will have filled out Ofsted’ health declaration form’ upon registering as an early years provider. The guidance does not apply to setting staff and employees. It remains the responsibility of setting managers/ owners to make any professional judgements on their employees’ suitability to care for children. • The guidance was issued in response to a number of queries to Ofsted about which significant

events and health changes should be reported. However, the list of health conditions is not a list of conditions that need to be reported to Ofsted. They were intended as examples of some conditions that might warrant being reported to Ofsted if – and only if – the relevant individual (e.g. the setting’s registered person) made the professional judgement that the condition was likely to impact on their own ability to care for children at their setting. Ofsted said that it is planning to issue revised guidance, which reflects the above, as soon as possible.

DfE publishes new guidance on January 2022 census The Department for Education has published new guidance for local authorities and early years providers explaining how to record funded early years places for the January 2022 early years census, in light of the impact of Covid-19. The early years census is used by the government to determine how much funding is given to different local authorities and is broadly the same as the January

2021 early years census guidance. Providers who are open during census week will be able to record children who would be attending their provision if it wasn’t for the impact of coronavirus. This would include, for example, if a child is self-isolating due to exposure to Covid-19 during census week. Providers who are closed or have been forced to temporarily limit spaces during

The guidance is broadly the same as January 2021.

census week can record their expected hours if the closure was caused by: staff shortages due to illness staff shortages due to selfisolation staff shortages due to catering for their own child or other dependent who is ill or needs to self-isolate being advised to close by local public health authorities due to an outbreak at the provision.

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Alliance CEO awarded OBE for services to education Alliance chief executive Neil Leitch has been awarded an OBE for services to education in the 2022 New Year Honours in recognition of his extraordinary contribution to early education. Neil has devoted almost two decades of service to the early years through his involvement in the Alliance. Following a successful career in finance, during which he became a leading voice on financial regulation, Neil was asked to volunteer his expertise to what was then the Pre-School Learning Alliance. He went on to become its director of communications and later, its CEO. Neil’s notable achievements and contributions include fighting for fairer early years funding, raising awareness around mental health and wellbeing of the early years workforce through the Alliance’s landmark Minds Matter

report, the successful Rewind on Ratios campaign (which saw the reversal of government plans to relax adult-to-child ratios in early years settings), and his ongoing work championing the early years sector in the national news media. He has also given evidence to multiple government enquiries and advised on early education policy around the world, most notably in Asia. Neil has remained an unrivalled advocate for early education and care providers since the start of the Covid19 outbreak, repeatedly calling on the government to provide fair funding and the same commitment to safety and wellbeing in early years settings that has been given to schools. He continues to fight for adequate support to see early years settings through a difficult winter, and for the

government to commit much-needed resources to the early years as part of the education recovery strategy. Commenting, Neil said: “I am honoured and humbled to have been included on this year’s New Year Honours list. Having been lucky enough to spend nearly two decades championing the early years, I can say without hesitation that I have never been prouder to be part of this exceptional sector. “I know first-hand that the dedication, professionalism and commitment of those working in the early years is second to none – and so I am just grateful to have the opportunity to continue doing all I can to ensure that our fantastic workforce gets the recognition that they deserve for the incredible work they do every day.”

Alliance voices concern over DfE funding clarification

Phonics approach “needs urgent reform” say UCL academics

The Alliance has expressed alarm and concern after the Department for Education confirmed further details on the increase in early years funding over the next three years announced at last year’s Spending Review. Back in October, following a meeting with the Alliance and other early years organisations, the newlyappointed children and families Minister Will Quince posted on Twitter that, as stated verbally at the meeting, the government would be “investing additional funding for the early years entitlements worth £160m in 2022-23, £180m in 2023-24 and £170m in 2024-25”. However, the Department for Education has now advised that: “The investments in 2022-23, 2023-24 and 2024-25 are all individually in comparison to the baseline for the current year 2021-22.” The Alliance understands that this means that the yearly funding increases will not be cumulative funding increases

The main approach used to teach children to read in England “needs urgent reform” according to a new research paper from University College London. Academics published a new paper about phonics, including a survey of 2,205 educators in England. The paper also analysed systemic reviews, data and experimental trials which suggested that teaching reading in England has “been less successful since the adoption of the synthetic phonics approach”. UCL’s Professor Alice Bradbury, co-author of the report, said: “Policy changes have led to changes in teaching, including more time being spent on phonics, the separation of phonics from other literacy activities, and a reliance on a small number of phonics schemes. This is an important shift in how children are taught to read, a shift which is not underpinned by the research evidence.” The researchers have written an open letter to education secretary Nadhim Zahawi, calling on the government to “centre on a wider range of approaches to teaching phonics and reading”.

(i.e. with each increase funding being added to the previous year’s funding levels), as the original announcement suggested but that instead, the yearly funding amounts represent how funding levels each year will compare to 2021-22 funding levels. This would mean that in 2023-24, the sector would only see a £20m increase in funding compared to 202223, while in 2024-25, funding would actually decrease by £10m compared to 2023-24. Commenting, Neil Leitch, CEO of the Early Years Alliance, said: “We are incredibly concerned about the implications of this new information from the Department for Education. If what seems to be being suggested is accurate, the funding outlook for the sector over the next three years is not only a lot worse than many in the sector understood it to be at the time of the announcement, but potentially worse than the dire situation providers have faced over recent years.”

“We are incredibly concerned about the implications of this.”

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Christmas gifts

Children at Boy & Girls Nursery Group in north London collected Christmas gifts to sha re with women and children at a local refuge service. The y were thanked by their local domestic abuse service for thei r generosity as well as their kind words for the families using the service. Natasha Kirby, director of the group, said: “We were delighted to hand over all the wonderful gifts donated by our incredible families and team. The generosity shown was ama zing and we were thrilled to be able to support this vital serv ice again this Christmas.”

tmas singyed a Chris jo en e g d ri Camb at they had -school in g songs th e, Arbury Pre , performin ch ur and Twinkl ch l eir loca as Pudding tm is hr C along at th , ls le Bel with a uding Jing welcomed learned incl d ents were ar P r. ta d crafts an S istmas ren’s arts an ild ch Twinkle Chr e : “I th id f me o er Sarah sa showing so ing manag ct A . slideshow ed nd ag re e reve ns we man ch from th 9 restrictio -1 d vi short spee o C e pite munity. W ed that des d local com am so pleas n parents an e th r fo t th l e childre even day and al e th to hold this n o k bac azing feed received am utifully.” ea b ng d sa behaved an

g-along

Festive sin

Buried treasure Children at Roundhouse Pre-school in Cambridgeshire were invited to help a local construction company celebrate the opening of a new site. The children enjoyed an exciting treasure hunt as part of their morning as VIPs on the visit and dressed up as builders with hard hats and high-visibility jackets. Manager Lyndsey said: “Diggers and cranes are very popular with the children at preschool so it was the perfect opportunity to give them a chance to explore this interest and help us implement the cultural capital part of our curriculum.”

Remembrance Day

Little Gems Pre-school in Luton created their own poppies to mark Remembrance Day bac k in November. The childre n enjoyed discussing the history around Remembrance Day and learning the importance of what the poppy represent s.

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What’s been happening in your setting? Under 5 wants to know! To share your own stories, please email editor.u5@eyalliance.org.uk with the subject line ‘My Under 5’.

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If you’re interested in enjoying this and many more amazing FREE Alliance member offers, simply visit eyalliance.org.uk

Tuesday

FEBRUARY 2022

Monday

Wednesday

Virtual Classroom - SEND in the early years 9.30-1pm

By attending this session you will be able to recognise an apply good practice techniques and plan effective partnerships with parents and external agencies.

Virtual Classroom - Getting to grips with the EYFS – part 1 1-3pm

Virtual Classroom - Quality teaching and learning in the early years 1-3pm

Do you take time to self-reflect? Are you confident that your teaching meets all of Ofsted’s needs? In this session we will discuss your role in children’s learning, what Ofsted is looking for and explore what best practice looks like. This is a two-part session, with the second part taking place on 2 February (see below).

In this two-hour interactive sessions we will explore the recent changes to the EYFS.

Virtual Classroom - Exploration of the Curriculum and Articulation of Teaching 1-4.30pm

Virtual Classroom - Supporting children for whom English is an additional language 09.30-11.00am

Do you want to feel confident in supporting children who have English as an additional language? Find out more in this interactive workshop.

Spotlight - Bringing the educational programmes to life – communication and language 10-11am

Virtual Classroom - Quality teaching and learning in the early years 1-3pm

Join us as we explore the educational programme for communication and language, taking a closer look at how all seven programmes are interconnected.

Spotlight - Bringing the educational programmes to life – physical development 10-11am

Join us as we explore the educational programme for physical development, taking a closer look at how all seven programmes are interconnected.

Virtual Classroom - Supporting children for whom English is an additional language 09.30-11.00am

Do you want to feel confident in supporting children who have English as an additional language? Find out more in this interactive workshop.

Spotlight - Bringing the educational programmes to life – literacy 12-1pm

Join us as we explore the educational programme for literacy, taking a closer look at how all seven programmes are interconnected.

Alliance Connect - Supporting the holistic child 10-11am and 4-5pm The five aspects of the holistic development of a child in the EYFS is the physical, emotional, social, spiritual and intellectual development. Join us to discuss how we help support a ‘whole’ child learning approach through curriculum and pedagogy.

Spotlight - Bringing the educational programmes to life – mathematics

10-11am Join us as we explore the educational programme for mathematics, taking a closer look at how all seven programmes are interconnected.

Virtual Classroom - Voice of the child

1-2.30pm How child-centred is your setting? This session will help you understand why listening to children is important and identify successful strategies involving their participation.

Virtual Classroom - Voice of the Child part two 1-2.30pm

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Virtual Classroom - Cultural capital

1-2.30pm

Spotlight - Bringing the educational programmes to life – expressive arts

What is cultural capital and why do you need to know about it? Ofsted’s Education Inspection Framework requires you to develop children’s cultural capital – in this session we will explain what that means and how you can use it in your practice.

10-11am

Virtual Classroom - SEND in the ealry years

1-2.30pm

6-8.00pm

Join us as we explore the educational programme for expressive arts, taking a closer look at how all seven programmes are interconnected.

Virtual Classroom - Cultural capital part two

Thursday

TRAINING

Friday

Spotlight - Bringing the educational programmes to life - PSED 10-11am Join us as we explore the educational programme for PSED, taking a closer look at how all seven programmes are interconnected.

Virtual Classroom - Home is where the start is 10.30am-2.30pm

Virtual Classroom - Designated safeguarding person 09.30-11.30am

This workshop outlines the knowledge and skills of a designated safeguarding person and acts as a refresher for those currently undertaking the role. The training is a requirement of the EYFS and Working Together to Safeguard Children (2018).

We will explore what ‘effective’ partnerships with parents/carers are, why they are so important and how barriers to them can be overcome.

Virtual Classroom - Makaton taster session 10am-12pm

This two-hour session will offer a brief introduction to Makaton including what it is, where it originated, why it is used and who it is for. We will also teach 34 basic signs and symbols from the Makaton core vocabulary and 12 additional signs appropriate for early years settings.

Virtual Classroom - Prime time: inspirational practice from birth to two years 9.30am-1.00pm

The EYFS requires at least half of all staff working with children under two to have specific training on the care of babies. In this workshop, we will explore the importance of the early years of a child’s life and how to maximise their learning.

Virtual Classroom - Safeguarding Designated Person 9.30-11.30am

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY Alliance Connect Alliance Connect events are free online networking sessions for anyone involved in the early years. Sessions are often aimed at different groups such as baby and toddler groups, childminders, leaders, managers and parents. Visit eyalliance.org.uk/alliance-connect to find out more.

Virtual Classroom - Let’s Talk the Learning Walk 1-4.30pm

Spotlights Alliance Spotlights are bite-sized CPD sessions offering a deep-dive into specific early years topics. Each session lasts an hour and offers a detailed look at one area of interest. If you’ve ever attended a training session and wished that you had been given more time to delve deeply into a particular area of discussion, these sessions are for you. Spotlights are £12 for Alliance members and £24 for non-members. Visit eyalliance.org.uk/alliance-spotlights to find out more.

Spotlight - Bringing the educational programmes to life – understanding the world 12-2pm

Join us as we explore the educational programme for understanding the world, taking a closer look at how all seven programmes are interconnected.

Virtual Classrooms Virtual Classrooms are longer sessions looking at broader topics in detail, but still delivered online with a flexible approach to suit early years providers. The courses take place over two or three 90 minute sessions. Prices start at £23 for Alliance members and £33 for non-members for a 2 hour session. Visit eyalliance.org.uk/online-early-yearstraining to find out more.

The dates listed here were correct at the time of going to print but may be subject to changes. Please check the Alliance website for the latest information.

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Sharon Bond, lead EAL advisor at the Alliance, explains the important of the home language for children with English as an additional language...

orming working partnerships is a vital skill in all aspects of our lives. Never is this more true than when working with the parents of the children who attend your setting. Sometimes this relationship grows naturally and at other times there are barriers

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that may hinder your partnership. Imagine if that you have English as an additional language (EAL), speak little English or are new to the country. As a parent, what would be important to you if you had a child attending an early years setting? How would you ensure that you understand what happens in the group and what is required of you? Skilled and experienced early years managers and educators should have measures in place to help support parents, including essential documents translated into the families’ home languages and access to interpreters where possible. The setting should be welcoming to every child and parent to show that they are valued and part of the community. For example, you could have welcome signs and greetings in a variety of languages, reflecting those spoken by your families. Something to consider when welcoming EAL families to your setting is how you can value their home language, culture and home environment. The first thing the EYFS says

about children with EAL is: “For children whose home language is not English, providers must take reasonable steps to provide opportunities for children to continue to develop and use their home language in play and learning[...]” This statement has been part of the EYFS framework since it was first introduced in 2008 and remains unchanged in the 2021 version. The accompanying non-statutory guidance in Development Matters and Birth to 5 Matters also refer to the importance of the home language: “Speaking more than one language has lots of advantages for children. It is the norm in many countries around the world. Children will learn English from a strong foundation in their home language. It is important for you to encourage families to use their home language for linguistic as well as cultural reasons. Children learning English will typically go through a quiet phase when they do not say very much and may then use words in both languages in the

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o s i d e l e g o ş o h nguage matters same sentence. Talk to parents about what language they speak at home, try and learn a few key words and celebrate multilingualism in your setting.” Development Matters “A child’s first language provides the roots to learn additional languages, and parents should be encouraged to continue to use their home languages to strengthen and support their children’s language proficiency as they join new environments.” Birth to 5 Matters EAL specialists and consultants like us welcome these additions to the non-statutory guidance, giving extra value and importance to the home language. Supporting home language in the home is one of the key messages we should share with parents and caregivers. We need to ensure we have the right information to do this effectively and in partnership with families. What is the home language? Who speaks it and with whom? Who else looks after the children, who else is in the home? All of these questions need to be answered to help build a full picture of what our families might need from

us. This will help us get it right. So, as well as language, what other factors do early years educators need to think about? There are many aspects of other cultures we need to consider when building relationships and partnerships with parents. For example, in some cultures it is considered bad manners for a child to look an adult directly in the eye, yet how many times do we get down to a child’s level and ask them gently “look at me, please”? Exploring what the home environment is like for families is key for all children in your setting. Home visits are an excellent way of doing this. A home visit can give valuable insights into family life. More importantly, it can be a stepping stone on the transition journey for a child. It’s also an opportunity for parents to ask questions and gain valuable information from you, while in the familiar and comfortable setting of their own home. The quality of the home learning environment is a key predictor of a child’s early language ability and future success; positive experiences can have lasting and life changing impact. Early language ability is consistently linked to later outcomes – including school attainment and job prospects. Children raised in middle and upper-

income homes are more likely to experience a language-rich environment. By contrast, children from low-income homes are more likely to arrive at school with below-average language skills, leaving them at an educational disadvantage from the start. Studies also consistently show that many home learning activities support children’s early language development, including: going to the library, playing with/being taught letters, and playing with/being taught numbers, songs/ poems/rhymes. In particular, studies show that the quality of caregiver-child interactions taking place during these activities are a better predictor of school attainment at age seven than children’s exposure to computers or other learning technologies during the early years. So, the message is clear: value and respect a child’s home learning environment and do everything you can to build relationships and partnerships with parents. Build on your existing knowledge and expertise to think about the small additional steps that you could put in place to welcome EAL families to your setting, because by doing so you could make a big difference to a family’s experience of early years education.

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Making the most of the EYPP Juliette Moran, business manager at the Alliance, shares ideas for using the EYPP in the most inclusive and effective way possible

ou don’t need to work in early years to know that not everyone has the same start in life. Unfortunately, working in education can often make the inequalities in our society even clearer. As educators, we want to make sure that we use our Early Years Pupil Premium Funding (EYPP), in the most inclusive and effective way possible to make it stretch. We want to be able to make a lasting impact across a whole cohort rather than being child specific. We want to ensure that our use of EYPP is innovative, proactive and truly inclusive.

Removing shame and stigma Before we can even begin, we need to ensure that parents apply and fill in the right forms so that our provision can receive the EYPP. Once

it has been received, we can then ensure that we are using it to achieve the best outcomes for all our children and that that spend can be wholly justified. At the same time, we do need to recognise some of the reasons why parents and/or carers are sometimes reluctant to provide the information that is needed. Ask yourself how you would feel if you were asked to sign another form which may have a perceived stigma attached to it or that you don’t understand? Would you like it to be made known that your child may be disadvantaged? Would you like the nursery to know your financial status? Understandably, no parent wants that. In a society that can be too quick to label families, parents and children do we want to add another one to the list?

One of the strengths of early years is the thread of inclusivity and tying everything together. We need to ensure that these forms are not targeted at one specific family. We need to make sure that the question is asked of everyone. That’s why we have registration forms isn’t it? We must gather information about our children and families and so we ensure that these forms are part of the registration process for every child.

Is the process worth it? Moving on from the perceived potential stigma attached to EYPP, a more pertinent question

BEST PRACTICE

could be – is it really worth the hassle? Is the chasing of application forms worth the time given the actual money the setting receives? It can be such a long-winded process that it can almost become just another thing you have to do with no real perceived benefit to the children. But £342 per year per child can amount to quite a lot depending on where you are and your local demographics. We can all agree that payments can take a frustratingly long time to come through but clever budgeting and an invested staff and/or committee can help you achieve a budget that can be ringfenced for the benefit of all.

Spending on SEND and beyond There is also something else to consider when using your EYPP. There is instruction in the Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Code of Practice that says that we “should consider [our] strategic approach to meeting SEN in the context of the total resources available, including any resources

targeted at particular groups, such as the pupil premium” (6.97). So, there is an expectation that EYPP can and should be used for a wider SEND need. How can we spend our EYPP funding in a way that is, as already stated, innovative, proactive and wholly inclusive? Do we always approach our funding spend in a way that is removing barriers for all, not creating them? It is worth remembering that we can spend our EYPP funding in a way that can be applied to all our current cohort and will continue to have an impact on all future children coming through our doors. So, how do we justify this to Ofsted? And how do we justify it to ourselves?

Investing in the bigger picture Arguably, the early years is less about narrowing the attainment gap and more about personal, social and emotional development (PSED). Looking at the bigger picture, shouldn’t we be tapping into our children’s cultural capital and create

experiences, particularly for those who are disadvantaged? Do you think taking your children on a visit or paying for someone to come and visit you, would help achieve this? Could you use it for yoga lessons, music sessions, or even swimming lessons? The latter would certainly address the risk-taking aspect of children’s development, although the risk may also apply to those adults with them! It stands to reason that rather than just considering purchased resources that are child specific we should also be developing our children’s PSED and nurturing their lived experiences so that we set them up with all of the tools to be able to navigate that attainment gap later in life. Can’t we justify the importance of the form-filling to parents by reinforcing the benefit of creating experiences that will open their child’s eyes to the potential the world has to offer them, and shouldn’t we use the same justification to Ofsted?

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Social responsibility in the early years Alison Heseltine, early years development officer at the Alliance, explains why it is important to teach children how to develop social responsibility

n recent years, the term “social responsibility” has become increasingly popular as we work to understand our relationship, both as individuals and as a society, with the world around us. But what does ‘social responsibility’ actually mean? And do our youngest children have a role to play in it? Social responsibility means acknowledging that our actions have consequences and taking ownership of these to ensure that any impact they have is positive on society and the world around us. It is a key component in the sustainability of our planet as we strive to safeguard Earth for the generations to come. Everyone has a part to play and it is never too early to start introducing this concept to children, but we need to make it relatable and appropriate for their age and stage of development. How, as a young child, when you have little understanding of your own feelings can you recognise or consider the feelings of others that have developed as a result

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of your actions? Our focus in the early years should initially be on supporting our children to recognise and name their own emotions before they can go on to see and understand these in others. To be socially responsible you need to have empathy, you need to move from thinking only of yourself to thinking of others, and when we relate this to sustainability, then developing empathy for the physical world is needed too. As trusted adults in our children’s world, educators and parents/carers need to be good role models. Our children look to us for reference to guide their own actions. What steps can we can take to help to not only develop our children’s empathy but also mould them into socially responsible individuals?

kindness and support. Acknowledge and talk about how that makes us feel (the “warm fuzzies”) and when you see them demonstrating generosity acknowledge it in them too and allow them the chance to share their thoughts about how it made them feel. Being generous not only does good for others is also makes us feel good about ourselves – it’s a win-win scenario! Perhaps your provision could get involved with a local cause that children would have an understanding of and feel a connection with? Then the children can not only be engaged and interested, but also see for themselves the result of their generosity. It doesn’t have to be money that you donate – time is often the most generous gift you can give.

Share, demonstrate and explain the concept of generosity

Take ownership

Giving or doing something for someone or something else with no agenda of a return other than knowing that you have shown

Encourage our children to take ownership and responsibility for their actions by doing the same ourselves. It’s not easy to admit that as adults we don’t always get everything

BEST PRACTICE

right and it’s important to show how we handle that. We can all make mistakes – it’s what we do afterwards that makes the difference. Do we admit to our children when we get things wrong? Do we consider the effect that might have had on them? For example: “I’m sorry I was so grumpy earlier on when you wanted to spend time with me, but I was feeling cross and I could see that made you sad. It wasn’t anything you had done it was how I was feeling. Now why don’t you show me what it was that you wanted to do?” In this situation we have an opportunity to really demonstrate thinking about others feelings and taking responsibility for our actions.

The unique child Recognising our children’s uniqueness and valuing their contribution to our world is so important. What are their passions and interests? Children often have an innate connection with nature – consider how you

could use this as a means of demonstrating social responsibility by taking care of the local wildlife for example. As educators we know that children will always be more engaged if it sparks their interest and enjoyment. We all have something to offer and a part to play and no one should be made to feel that their contribution or ideas are of less consequence or value. Sometimes the smallest of things can have the biggest effect.

Gaining independence Consider how we can foster those independence and decision-making skills in our children and help them to be confident in these areas. In the future they will be able to reference that learning and make choices that are measured and considered with regard to the consequences and outcomes. These are the foundations of social responsibility. One day the children in our care will be the decision makers of the future. We have the privilege and

opportunity to equip them with the tools they need to suceed.

Celebrate positive steps Give children the chance to make a difference themselves and celebrate their achievements. Share stories and real-life experiences that may prompt and inform their thinking and discussions. Look at creating your own photo books of real-life topics that are relevant and interesting that can develop their thinking and prompt discussions. What happens to the rubbish after you’ve put it in the bin and it has been collected? Can you watch when the dustbin lorry comes? What happens, and what do we see, if we don’t put our rubbish in the bin? Start small and let their ideas grow and develop. Be prepared though that some of these may influence or even alter your own attitudes and behaviour and if this happens share that with them – show them the difference they have made.

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Giving the gift of music B oogie Mites has collaborated with early years consultants to share their expertise, along with Boogie Mites trainers, to link music to different early years subjects. Music is a whole brain activity that supports cross curriculum development. It can provide an uplift that will help you to tackle many of the issues caused by the last two years of social restrictions and lost educational opportunities caused by Covid-19. These online training events will provide educators with the confidence, knowledge and resources to boost morale and expand the toolkit to include the power of music for the benefit of all involved. Each workshop covers three or four Boogie Mites songs that are provided as part of the training.

Sue explains why and how to engage parents sharing her vast experience and Tasha shows us why and how music can provide an effective tool for parent engagement. Find out more: bit.ly/BM-engaging-parents. Using Music to Promote the Healthy Living Message – March 7-8:30pm With PANCo founder Linda Baston-Pitt and Boogie Mites trainer Liv McLennan

of recognising and support play schemas. Tasha shows us that music can provide a valuable tool for linking with schematic behaviours. Find out more: bit.ly/BM-music-andschemas. Developing Literacy Foundations Through Music – 15 February 7-8:30pm With early years consultant Sue Asquith and Boogie Mites trainer Tasha Bretten

Current workshops Engaging Parents Through the Power of Music – 21 March 7-8:30pm With early years consultant Sue Asquith and Boogie Mites trainer Tasha Bretten Linda shares data and tips for embedding healthy living at the core of the setting. Liv shows us why and how music can provide a valuable tool for sharing the benefits of physical exercise, healthy eating, healthy planet and personal healthcare. Find out more: bit.ly/BM-healthy-living. Linking Musical Play with Play Schemas – 14 March 7-8:30pm With early years consultant Ange Cane and Boogie Mites trainer Tasha Bretten Ange share her vast knowledge and experience

Discover how neurological evidence shows us that music can provide a valuable tool for strengthening phonological awareness, listening skills, storytelling skills and articulation, ready for reading and writing at school. Find out more: bit.ly/BM-music-and-literacy.

SAFEGUARDING

Keeping cleaning safe The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents shares tips and advice for keeping children safe from potentially harmful household products in your setting and at home

ast year, the potential dangers of household cleaning products were back in the headlines when a oneyear-old was hospitalised after swallowing a washing machine pod. While the child thankfully recovered, it’s important to remind ourselves, and parents, of the potential risks associated with household cleaning products. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) says that on average 15 children under five are admitted to hospital every day due to a suspected poisoning. Cleaning products, laundry detergents and household sprays can all potentially be poisonous to children. Children aged between one- and three-years-old are at most of risk of accidental poisoning and children from the poorest families are three times more likely to be admitted to hospital, including because of an accidental poisoning. “Due to their inquisitive nature, children under the age of five are most at risk of accidentally swallowing or getting household products, like liquid laundry capsules, into their eyes,” explains Ashley Martin public health advisor at RoSPA. “Even products with a child-resistant closure cannot guarantee safety – they only reduce the risk by delaying access to the product.” Small children often mistake liquid laundry capsules and dishwasher tablets for sweets or toys, while others may try to copy the activities they have seen grown-ups taking part in and play with cleaning products. Not only are these items dangerous if ingested but they can also cause irritation to the eyes, which can result in long-term damage. A recent RoSPA survey found that nearly half of all parents (45%) store liquid laundry capsules within reach of their children, unaware that they present a significant risk.

Of course, supervision is one of the best ways to prevent this type of accident but there are other steps that families can take to ensure that children do not get access to these products.

Out of harm’s way All household cleaning products should be kept out of sight of children, preferably in a high, locked cupboard. Cupboard latches can be used to keep small children away from potentially dangerous items. Lids should be replaced immediately after use and products should be tidied away as soon as they have been used. Cleaning chemicals should be stored in their original containers. Any unwanted products should be disposed of carefully. Families should be reminded that the need to keep products out of children’s reach should also apply to any garden supplies they may store in their sheds or garages. Wherever possible, cleaning products should also be purchased in child-resistant containers. Although you should remind families that child-safe containers are not child-proof and can still often be opened by children as young as three. It’s important that these are not relied on to keep children away from products. Potentially dangerous items should still be stored out of reach of children. Here are RoSPA’s top tips to safely store and use cleaning products: Keep household cleaning products out of reach of children, preferably in a locked cupboard. Always store chemicals in their original containers.

Never pierce or break laundry capsules or tablets. Always close the lid of any product after using.

Getting help In the event of an incident, follow the advice on the product packet and seek medical attention immediately. Medical staff will want to know: what substance you think the child has swallowed when you think they swallowed it how much you think they swallowed any symptoms they have had, such as being sick

Take Action Today Working with the UK Cleaning Products Industry, RoSPA’s Take Action Today campaign aims to reduce accidental poisoning across the country by reaching as many families with children under five as possible. The campaign has targeted 12 key areas across the country and provided 400,000 families with a magnetic fridge pad containing advice on preventing accidental poisoning.

Find out more Find out more about the campaign at bit.ly/ TATRoSPA. RoSPA also has advice on keeping children safe from liquid laundry capsules that you can share with parents - at bit.ly/RoSPAparents.

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ACTIVITY CORNER

Winter wonders Melanie Pilcher, quality and standards manager at the Alliance, shares some ideas for enjoying the winter olympic season in your setting

his month, China will be hosting the Olympic Winter Games and the best athletes from over the world, including Team GB, will compete in exciting events including curling, figure skating, snowboarding and skiing. Next month will also see paralympians take part in sports such as para skiiing, para ice hockey and more. While we rarely have the weather in England to give children a first-hand experience of these sports, we can still build on the fact that many families will be following the progress of their favourite sportspersons in their chosen olympic discipline. Children may quickly pick up on the interest being shown in the sports by the key adults in their lives. They will soon come to recognise sporting terminology and familiar faces that are competing for medals. With Beijing eight hours ahead of British time, some events will be available to watch in the early evening, making them accessible for many young children to watch live with their families at home.

Positive role models Sporting role models can have a positive impact on children. Children who feel isolated or excluded for a variety of reasons may be inspired to see their culture, disability or background reflected in a positive way. Sportspersons can also be seen displaying many of the characteristics of effective learning that as educators we strive to encourage. For example, active learning is clearly visible as sportspersons demonstrate involvement and concentration before and during their challenges. They keep on trying when things don’t go their way, or when the odds are against them. They overcome

personal setbacks but can still celebrate the achievements of others, and when they win, they enjoy achieving what they set out to do. All of which are important life skills that help to shape a child’s personal, social and emotional development.

Determination: to be the best they can be. Ensuring that every child has the opportunity to build their self-esteem in an environment that focuses on ‘risk benefits’, allowing children to ‘have a go’ and to make reasonable adjustments along the way.

Paralympians When we take a celebratory approach to children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) the emphasis is on celebrating achievement rather than focusing on underachievement. Educators “acknowledge and value each child, emphasising what they can do through a strengths-based perspective on disability” (Birth to 5 Matters). Any child who feels limited by their mental or physical capacity to take part in everyday activities can be inspired by seeing Paralympians challenging themselves. The International Paralympic Committee cites four qualities of Paralympians. Early years educators will easily recognise these qualities as part of a celebratory approach for every child who needs additional support. They are:

Inspiration: to be motivated by the achievements of others and in turn motivate others. Equality: as an agent for change to break down social barriers of discrimination for persons with an impairment. When children can see themselves reflected in the sporting community, they feel a sense of belonging.

With so many opportunities for learning linked to the Winter Olympics events, the sky is the limit.

Courage: to accomplish the unexpected. When educators build on children’s strengths rather than their limitations, the unexpected is more likely to happen.

Increasing children’s cultural capital “Don’t put a limit on anything. The more you dream, the further you get.” —Michael Phelps, gold-medal swimmer.

Ofsted is clear when referring to cultural capital that it is the role of educators to ensure that children “experience the awe and wonder of the world in which they live, through the seven areas of learning” (Ofsted Early Years Inspection Handbook, Sept 2019). When educators respond to children’s interests by building on them and providing new and inspiring

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out loud as they appear on screen. Use mathematical language such as “first, second and third” as competitors are placed. Counting objects – Count the number of jumps in a ski race, or the tricks performed on a snowboard.

experiences, they are enhancing their cultural capital and building aspiration. With so many opportunities for learning and development linked to the Winter Olympics events the sky is the limit.

CONSIDERING YOUR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMES Physical development Look at how competitors use balance and coordination when snowboarding. The same skills are practiced when children are walking across a low beam or log. Try some virtual skiing by coordinating arm and leg movements whilst bending and twisting to complete a slalom, or crouching low with elbows tucked in, to gain speed down an imaginary slope.

Personal, social and emotional development As already mentioned, sports persons demonstrate many of the personal qualities that we would want to instill in children. Make sure that whatever activities you provide are fully inclusive, relevant and build on children’s cultural capital. For example, if you have a child whose family are lucky enough to go skiing themselves, think about how you can build further learning opportunities into something that the child is already familiar with. If other children have never been skiing, see if you can ‘borrow’ ski equipment so that everyone gets the opportunity to try on a real ski boot or goggles, to explore them properly.

Communication and language There is plenty of opportunity to increase children’s vocabulary when watching the Olympics. Not only are children hearing the names of new sports, but there are many terms used to describe sporting techniques that are not used in everyday language. Have you ever

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heard of a nose-bonk, or an ollie, both of which are terms that a snowboarding commentator may be heard using? There are also plenty of adjectives for describing the conditions for an individual event, for example the snow could be frozen, slushy or powdery, or the weather could be freezing, icy, or windy. As with any word acquisition, children will quickly pick up on words they hear being used in context.

Literacy Building on the new words that children will hear during Olympic commentary, educators can extend the learning by finding appropriate books, poems, rhymes, and songs to share. Have a look at:

Comparing sizes and dimensions, capacities and weights – When watching curling, talk about how the heavy stones move easily across the ice. Conduct your own experiments with stones on icy puddles if the weather conditions allow. Exploring spatially, describing where to find things and giving directions – Add your own commentary to an event as it happens. Encourage children to join in as they notice how the athletes move left, right, up, down, over, under etc… For more guidance on building children’s maths skills visit Building firm foundations in mathematics - ECMG (earlymaths.org).

Understanding the world Learning to ski with Mr Magee by Chris Van Dusen – suitable for children aged 4-6yrs is a rhyming story about a man and his dog who are learning to ski. Spots Snowy Day by Eric Hill – for younger children, follows Spot’s adventures as he goes sledging and plays in the snow. Heads, shoulders knees and toes by Annie Kubler – a lovely way to encourage children to warm-up for the big event as they sing this favourite action song!

Mathematics The Early Childhood Maths Group describes important mathematical learning opportunities for birth to seven years, many of which can be found in your Winter Olympic activities. Why not share some maths ideas to inspire parents who are watching the Olympics with their child?: Counting by just saying number words – Countdown together with children “three, two, one...go!” Or read the scores

What better way to support ‘understanding the world’ than the Olympics? The opening and closing events are particularly rich and diverse as each participating country displays their national flag and costume. Children will hear national anthems played and will also learn a little more about the host country which can then be followed up using books and technology to help consolidate their understanding.

Expressive arts and design Watching the Olympics is fun but it is the activities and experiences that children participate in that give meaning to what they have seen or heard. Role playing different sporting events allows children to apply their imagination and creativity. Try ‘figure skating’ in socks on a wooden floor, or imagine hurtling along in a cardboard box bobsleigh, tilting from side to side as you navigate the steep curves of the bobsleigh run. Remember, that children who are less mobile can join in too. Sport is a good example of how reasonable adjustments can be made so that everyone gets to take part.

NUTRITION

Vitamin D: how to ensure children get enough The ITF explains the importance of vitamin D and how to help children get enough through a healthy diet

njoying a play-date in the sun surely must be one of the most cherished activities for toddlers living in Britain, especially considering that there are often not very many sunny days to enjoy. Adding to the fact that many of us have also been indoors more than usual the past few years due to on- and off-lockdowns. The combination of all these facts mean one thing: this winter, more than ever, children may be at risk of vitamin D deficiency. In this article, the Infant & Toddler Forum explores why is vitamin D important and how to ensure children get enough of it.

Why is vitamin D important? Vitamin D helps regulate the amount of calcium and phosphate in the body. These nutrients are essential for child development as they are obligatory to develop and keep bones, teeth and muscles healthy. A lack of vitamin D can lead to bone deformities such as rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults.

What inadequate levels of Vitamin D can do to babies and toddlers: Rickets, a condition where the child’s bones become soft and weak, leading to bone deformities and stunted growth.

oily fish such as salmon, sardines, herring, and mackerel

Seizures (in extreme cases) as vitamin D, coupled with parathyroid hormone, maintains the homeostasis of calcium. The incorrect ratio of calcium inside and outside the brain cells can cause them to activate incorrectly.

fortified foods such as some fat spreads and breakfast cereals – vegetarian/vegan alternatives if the child is following a plantbased diet

Increased susceptibility to infection as vitamin D is used in the body’s immune response.

How can we help prevent vitamin D deficiency?

Four in every 25 children suffer from vitamin D deficiency because they did not acquire enough vitamin D before birth. This is more likely to happen when the child’s mother:

Children make most of their vitamin D when basking in the sunshine, when the sunlight (UV rays) are absorbed by their skin. In order to help them do that it’s a good idea to organise picnics in the park or let them play outside whenever the weather allows. Using sunscreen is important on sunny days but parents should avoid putting sunscreen on their children when it isn’t necessary or putting too much sunscreen as it reduces the production of vitamin D.

covers most of her skin when outside, whether it is due to religious reasons or not has dark skin pigmentation

It is well-known that we get our most important nutrients through food. A number of foods such as oily fish, egg yolks, red meat, liver and fortified food can be a great source to top up children’s vitamin D levels. Below are some items to consider offering children:

Muscle weakness, aches and pains as their bones are not strong enough to carry their weight or any other external forces put on them.

Babies and toddlers at risk of vitamin D deficiency

did not take vitamin D supplements during pregnancy

Food as a source of Vitamin D

red meat such as beef, lamb and pork

It is important to eat these foods in moderation as some are high in cholesterol, which can result in other health conditions.

Supplements of Vitamin D Supplements containing only vitamin D are the most effective way of obtaining the optimal level of vitamin D. It is not guaranteed that children can get enough vitamin D from sunlight and foods alone. This is especially true for children on vegan and vegetarian diets, as the options for vitamin D-rich foods are more limited when following a plant-based lifestyle. According to Public Health England, babies up to the age of one year need 8.5 to 10 micrograms of vitamin D each day and children from the age of 1 year and adults need 10 micrograms of vitamin D each day. This includes pregnant and breastfeeding women to ensure that not only their bones are healthy but also their child’s bones too.

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Employing an early Velda Bartholomew, training operations manager at the Alliance, outlines early years apprenticeships Employing an apprentice can be an effective way to bring new skills to your setting and grow your workforce. The apprenticeship training programmes cover the vocational skills and knowledge your member of staff requires to ensure babies and young children learn and develop well whilst remaining healthy and safe.

What is an apprenticeship? An apprenticeship is a job with training. Through an apprenticeship, an apprentice will gain the technical knowledge, practical experience and wider skills and behaviours that they need for their immediate job and future career. The apprentice must be employed by you for a period which is long enough for the apprentice to complete the apprenticeship successfully (including the endpoint assessment). Apprentices gain experience and learn through a variety of ways including formal off-the-job training and the opportunity to practise new skills in a real work environment. They must be aged 16 or over (with no upper age limit) and can be new employees or current employees who wish to obtain formal qualifications. The benefits of employing an apprentice employing a motivated member of staff at an affordable pay rate well trained staff who work to the standard you expect as an employer

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supports loyalty and retention of staff apprentices gain up-to-date knowledge on current practice and can bring new ideas to the setting apprentices can be counted in ratios from aged 16, if ‘competent and responsible’ (EYFS 3.30) There are two ways to employ an apprentice. Either an existing member of staff who requires formal training can be funded or a vacancy can be offered to a new apprentice. An apprentice should be treated the same as all other employees, with the same terms and conditions. For existing staff, their terms and conditions must be honoured, including usual salary but in addition 20% of their contracted hours must be spent on off the job training. Apprenticeships should be full-time roles – in some circumstances, the role can be part-time but this means the duration of the training plan must be extended to ensure the apprentice gains the necessary work experience to fulfill all elements of the programme and meet the apprenticeship funding requirements. The apprenticeship rate can be paid to all new apprentices during the first year of their programme. If they are aged 19 or over on completion of this year, they are entitled to the National Minimum Wage or the National Living Wage for those aged 23 and over (gov.uk/national-minimum-wage-rates).

20% Off the Job Training 20% off-the-job training is a compulsory component, defined as learning which is undertaken outside of the normal day-today working environment, for a minimum of 20% of their working hours. The employers’ chosen training providers will guide and advise how this training can be delivered. The apprentice must be out of ratio and

taking part in learning which is relevant to their programme. Examples include completing on-line training, attending workshops, completing course work or shadowing their mentor. Training may be delivered weekly or in blocks. This time must be planned well, with special consideration paid to the provider’s staffto-child ratios to allow this aspect of the programme to take place.

Funding arrangements Employers with an annual pay bill of over £3 million will pay the apprenticeship levy. Their levy funding is reserved in a digital account which can then be used to pay their chosen training provider. Most early years providers annual pay bill falls below this amount, so they would need to set up an apprenticeship service account and reserve funding to pay for apprenticeship training. These smaller, non-levy employers pay 5% towards the cost of training and the remaining 95% is paid by government. There are additional payments of £1,000 to employers recruiting 16-18-year-olds, or under 25-year-olds either with an education, health and care plan or who have previously been in the care of their local authority.

Learning and assessing Employers must have a contract with a registered apprenticeship training provider to offer a structured learning programme to cover the knowledge and skills requirements of their programme. Employers are seen as central to the dayto-day training of apprentice’s work-based skills and competencies. The employer and apprentice must sign an Apprenticeship Agreement, that corresponds with the duration and planned off job hours. This is alongside a Commitment Statement, which contains information on the training plan and expectations of all parties.

SAFEGUARDING

y years apprentice End Point Assessment On completion of the programme, the apprentice will be registered for their end point assessment which is the final part of their training. This includes a multiple-choicequestion test and a professional discussion with an external assessor. The professional discussion will be based upon a portfolio of work-based products which will have been gathered throughout their time in the setting. On completion, the apprentice could remain working with you, where a job opportunity exists. Where this is not possible you will need to work with the training provider to assist the Apprentice in seeking alternative opportunities. The visiting assessor will liaise with you during their visit and assist you with discussing the next steps.

Employing an apprentice is a big decision and there are considerable responsibilities that need to be undertaken. However, the rewards can be tremendous and for a sector that justly prides itself on offering career and life-changing opportunities, apprentices can only be embraced as a positive force for good.

Find out more Employing and apprentice guidance: gov. uk/employing-an-apprentice/get-funding Apprenticeship Service: gotostage.com/ channel/apprenticeshipservicewebinars Early Years Alliance Training Centre: training@eyalliance.org.uk or 01732 363 070.

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Interested in buying? Please visit shop.eyalliance.org.uk, call 0300 330 0996 or email shop@eyalliance.org.uk. shop.eyalliance.org.uk

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LAW-CALL

Maternity leave in the early years The team at Law-Call, a 24-hour legal helpline available to Alliance members, explains the principles of maternity leave for early years providers

earing that one of your team members is expecting a baby should be an exciting and happy time for everyone. But as an employer, you may be concerned about managing your employee’s workload while they are pregnant and during any maternity leave that they plan to take. Here, we’ve covered the main concerns so that you can focus on celebrating the good news with your team...

Maternity leave Employees are entitled to 52 weeks maternity leave and this is irrespective of their length of service with you. The earliest the leave can start is 11 weeks before the baby’s due date, unless the baby is born early, in which case the leave will automatically start the day after the birth. Employees can choose to work right up to their due date but if they become unable to work due to a pregnancy-related illness in the four weeks prior to this date their maternity leave will be automatically triggered. The employee must tell their employer when they are expecting their baby and when they plan to start maternity leave no later than 15 weeks before the baby is due. The information does not need to be in writing but you can ask for it in writing – if you do, the employee should provide it. After you have received the information, you must reply to the employee within 28 days, informing them that they are entitled to 52 weeks maternity leave. You must assume that they will take the full 52 weeks leave unless they notify you to the contrary. Employees can change their return to work date at a later date if they choose to by giving you eight weeks’ notice before their expected date of return. Employees do not have to take their full maternity leave but they must take at least the first two weeks following the birth. The employee still has their maternity leave and pay rights in the unfortunate event that

the baby is stillborn after the 24th week of pregnancy or dies soon after birth.

Staying safe at work The employer must do a risk assessment for all women of child bearing age and this includes considering any pregnant employees and any employees who have become new mothers in the last six months. Pregnant employees are also entitled to reasonable time off with full pay for antenatal appointments including travel time. They should give you as much notice as possible for any time off work that they need.

Maternity pay An employee is eligible for Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) for up to 39 weeks of their maternity leave. To be eligible they must have worked continuously for their employer for at least 26 weeks, ending with the 15th week before the due date, and their average weekly earnings must have been at least £120 per week up to the end of the 15th week before their due date. SMP is paid at 90% of their average weekly earnings (AWE) before tax for the first six weeks and then £151.97 per week or 90% of AWE (whichever is the lower) for the remaining 33 weeks. Employees not entitled to SMP may be able to get maternity allowance and you would need to provide them with a SMP1 form. There is a useful SMP calculator available at gov.uk/maternity-paternity-calculator. You can ask for proof of pregnancy before you pay SMP. This will usually be a MATB1 certificate, which is issued by midwives and doctors 20 weeks before the due date. As an employer, you can usually reclaim from HMRC between 92% and 103% of the employee’s SMP, Paternity, Adoption and Shared Parental Pay. If you cannot afford to make statutory payments upfront, you can apply for HMRC to pay you in advance.

Holidays Your employee will still continue to accrue their full holiday entitlement during the period they are on maternity leave but they cannot take annual leave and maternity leave at the same time. An employee must be given the right to take their annual leave before they commence maternity leave or on their return. If it is not possible or convenient for them to take holidays prior to going on maternity leave, the employee must be given the opportunity to carry over holidays to the next holiday year.

Staying in touch Employees can have up to 10 optional ‘keeping in touch days’ during the maternity leave if both employee and employer agree. Both parties should agree what work the employee will do and the pay, which cannot be below the National Minimum Wage. By law, you must tell the employee on maternity leave about promotions or other job opportunities, redundancies and any reorganisation that could affect their job.

Shared Parental Leave Shared Parental leave (SPL) and Statutory Shared Parental Pay (ShPP) are also available for for the mother, father or the mother’s partner, including civil partners and same sex partners if they are adopting or having a baby. This leave can only be taken once the child has been born or placed for adoption. The leave must be taken between the baby’s birth and first birthday (or within one year of adoption). Eligible parents can take up to 50 weeks as SPL and up to 37 weeks of ShPP. Parents can choose how much of the SPL and ShPP each of them will take.

Find out more This is a general guide only and as there are so many variables for each individual pregnancy or adoption, please contact Lawcall for specific advice on this topic. You can find their contact details in the Members’ Area of our website at portal.eyalliance.org.uk.

Our outstanding journey Rebecca Heal, manager at Cholsey Pre-school in Oxfordshire, shares how their setting has explored the concept of ‘hygge’ and retained their ‘outstanding’ status since 2011

ur journey has been a magical transformation – always trying to turn negatives into positives. We are always thankful for our journey and try to improve our setting to better meet the needs of the children and families we support. In the past few years, we wanted to use what was happening with the Covid-19 pandemic as an opportunity. We felt stuck in a rut and were unsure about what was happening and the changing situation with early years. But with things being so busy at the start of the pandemic, it was hard to find the time to address what was going on. One day we were at work and the next we were in lockdown – it felt surreal, scary and sad. As a pre-school setting based on primary school site, we were unable to open – even though our staff members were willing to come in. We found that hard. The team were getting their heads around what was actually

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happening in the world and what it all meant. Once we were able to get our heads around the situation, the never-ending changes to guidance and all the craziness, we set about moving online. We shared activities on our Facebook page, used emails and phone calls to correspond with our families. We also asked parents and carers to record themselves reading stories as well as our own staff. We shared these for families to enjoy. We did the best we could with what we had during that difficult time we were not able to open the setting. The team also used this time to update their training via EduCare and other online sources. During this time, one of our team members found Hygge in the Early Years with Kimberly Smith and started the Wanderlust: A Nature Study Programme training. This was shared with the rest of the team who also decided to complete the course, paying for

the training themselves. The programme was a real eye-opener and made us all rethink what we were doing, why and who for? Then came the news that we could re-open in June 2020, albeit in ‘bubbles’. We decided this was the perfect time to trial our new learning. The new ideas also fitted with the government’s Covid-19 guidance at the time and was easier for us to trial with smaller groups of children. A lot of the toys we had previously used in the pre-school were gone as we’d had to remove them to accommodate our new cleaning schedules. We were a little worried about how this would be received. What we actually found was that the children adapted extremely well. They were more engaged with play, activities and each other with fewer toys. They were also calmer and more relaxed. We tried to understand how the children and their families may feel during this time,

BEST PRACTICE

with the changes to their routine and daily lives. During the summer holidays, as a team, we decided that our children’s wellbeing and mental health would take priority over anything else when they started in September 2020. Using the knowledge we had gained in training over the lockdown, we redesigned our layout to create a calmer atmosphere and adapted our teaching. We were then hit with anew obstacle – we had to vacate our classroom in the school building as they had ongoing construction work. With the pandemic still ongoing, we had to clear out every single item from our classroom and find somewhere else to go, all while trying to keep things as normal as possible. Of course we then had to re-do everything once were allowed back into our classroom. We cannot explain how stressful this was and won’t deny that were many low points but we pulled together as a team

and made it work. Next, we decided to complete the Hygge in the Early Years Accreditation to take our knowledge a step further. What had been the norm for many years now changed to help improve the lives of children as well as staff and families. We also became a Sun Safe Pre-school and took part in the Healthy Smiles programme too. We were continually reflecting and looking at what we were doing – looking at ourselves, the space, the environment and so on. We really wanted to be the best that we could be and wanted the children to have the best possible experience. Before Christmas 2021 we had our latest Ofsted inspection. To say we were nervous was an understatement. We have had staff changes and a completely new approach to teaching alongside the changes to the EYFS. We were so thrilled, overwhelmed and

grateful – not to mention happy – to have remained an ‘outstanding’ pre-school, as we have been since 2011. We are pleased because as a setting we have worked together to turn something that was unexpected and scary into a positive situation. We were brave enough to accept change and plough forward, knowing that what we were doing was for the best of the children. We still have stopped and are already looking forward to continuing to be the best for our children and their families. Hygge is a Danish approach to life that focuses on living in the moment and feeling the joy that there is in everyday routines and activities. We feel that it is something we all need in the world right now and its most definitely something that we will continue to adapt and grow within our setting. The benefits have been just mesmerising and beautiful to observe.

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Back in action

Eleanor Fricker, communications and external affairs officer at the Alliance, looks at how baby and toddler members have recovered since the start of the coronavirus pandemic

he early days of the coronavirus pandemic were an incredibly difficult time for new families. Parents of the youngest children were often particularly isolated, left to work through many of the challenges of early parenthood alone. Covid19 restrictions limited their access to much of the support network that families with babies and toddlers usually rely on during those first tentative months and years. This includes health visits going remote, phone calls

instead of face-to-face chats with the doctor, grandparents no longer able to visit regularly and perhaps even a simple coffee with friends either not allowed or too worry-inducing for many families. As well as all this, a much-loved avenue of support for new parents has always been baby and toddler (or parent and child) groups. After restrictions were introduced early on in the fight against Covid-19, many of these groups were forced to close down - unable to access their

venues or continue their usual activities - or were forced to restrict attendance, making it harder for some parents to access them. Other parents may simply have felt that the risk of attending, no matter how beneficial for young children’s development, would have been too high for them and their families. With baby and toddler groups now back in action, we spoke to some group leaders to find out about the challenges they have faced, what they have learned and how they are doing now.

BABY & TODDLER GROUPS

Karen Sherr, Musical Minis, nationwide

more comfortable in the presence of others, while their parents have grateful to be able meet and have formed strong networks to support one another.

Josie Henry, The Natural Sensory Nook, West Sussex

there have been obstacles and challenges in running a sensory group during the pandemic, as restrictions have eased it has been exciting to be able to increasingly operate the way we really want to. Just knowing we are offering such a positive experience for not only children, but parents too, and providing that lifeline for the community we operate in, has given me the drive I need to continue.

Sarah Walker, Baby Sensory - Northampton, part of WOW World Group, nationwide

Musical Minis has been operating for 32 years, and even so, Covid-19 has been our largest challenge to date. We managed to move our classes online fairly quickly but pre-school children need to interact in a setting rather than on a screen for the best developmental outcomes. With no face-to-face classes, parents said they felt isolated, that their days lacked structure and some of those who had ‘lockdown babies’ felt cheated out of their maternity leave. Parents were concerned about their children’s social development, missing out on interacting with other children, learning to share, take turns, and much more. When reopening Musical Minis, we put strict procedures in place to be as coronavirus-safe as we could and parents have been grateful to have a safe place to go to see other families. First-time parents found attending Musical Minis helped them get support from others in the same situation – especially as they were often unable to get guidance from professionals. Since reopening we have noticed the children grow in confidence and become

I started my baby and toddler sensory group, which takes a natural approach to play, just as the second lockdown was coming to an end. Once parents knew they were allowed to attend baby and toddler classes again, the bookings came in thick and fast. I noticed that there was especially high demand for my newborn class. It was so booked up that I had to alter my schedule to include an extra session for all the new parents who wanted to come. It was very clear to me that although many remained wary of the risks, they both needed and wanted to get out and take the opportunity to socialise their new babies but also to make a social connection themselves. Parents said things like: “We needed time away from our homes” and “It’s been horribly lonely and uncertain.” When we first opened, Covid-19 restrictions made it extremely difficult to run a sensory group because it relies on being interactive. There was the extra cost of buying triple the amount of equipment you would normally need to ensure it was kept clean and that there was enough for everyone. I was also running at reduced numbers to allow for social distancing, which had a big impact on my ability to remain profitable. In this area, we have lost many of the normal baby groups over the past two years and they have not returned. Slowly but surely new groups, like mine, have come to parents’ aid. One parent told me, “Knowing there are groups that are operating safely has been a lifeline for me. There isn’t anything in this area anymore.” While

During the pandemic, I learned from parents the incredible value they placed on our classes. The impact of isolation was exceptionally hard for new parents who needed emotional support and social interactions with others, so while online classes offered a lifeline for them during lockdown, they could not replace the community support provided by physical classes. The importance of sharing face-toface experiences was evident when we finally reopened. There were some very emotional reunions between parents. Those attending Toddler Sense classes noticed that their children initially found it difficult to interact with others but that with some encouragement, they soon settled in. The implementation of Covid-secure sessions and social distancing to ensure the safety of all those attending was challenging for all the practitioners at WOW World but despite those initial difficulties, since restrictions have been relaxed, class attendance has now surpassed all previous efforts - which again just goes to show how much our baby and toddler classes mean to the parents that use them.

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FAMILY CORNER

What is a ‘key person’? Here we explain what a key person is and why they are important for your child

he role of a key person in an early years setting is much more than just a title.It is a requirement of the Early Years Foundation Stage that every registered childcare setting must assign a key person to your child when they start. You should be told who this key person is and have their role explained to you. They will help your child to settle and will then be responsible for ensuring that the care your little one receives meets all of their needs. The key person will be your first point of contact with the setting. They are also responsible for exchanging information with you. You will get verbal updates most days and regular written summaries about how well your child is progressing in their learning and development.

Watching and learning It will be the key person who observes your child regularly as they are playing and learning, they will pay attention to how your child learns, what they enjoy playing with and what they need more support with. They will also keep a record of the observations they have made, usually in a Learning Journey that documents your child’s progress through the Early Years Foundation Stage. The key person will use their observations to plan further learning opportunities that are based on your child’s individual interests and needs. This is because they know that children

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learn best when the experiences they have are challenging and enjoyable, allowing them to play and explore, to concentrate and to develop their own ideas.

Talking — a two-way street A key person’s responsibilities stretch beyond meeting the basic needs of your child and exchanging information with you. From the moment that you are introduced the key person should make you feel that their setting is a safe place that you can trust, they are your insight into your child’s world whilst they are away from you, whilst establishing the professional boundaries and expectations upon which your on-going relationship is based. Your feedback is valued and will be listened to as part of the partnership between you, your child and the key person.

How to work in partnership with your key person Make yourself aware of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Your child’s setting will have information that they can share with you and will also be able to tell you where you can find out more. If you happen to be available on a day when Ofsted are inspecting your child’s setting, the Inspector will be interested to know what you think and how well the setting

Share t his guidan ce with parent s and carers

shares information with you about your child’s progress. Be prepared to share information about what your child enjoys doing at home and any new skills they have mastered. The information that you share is really important to the key person as they need to understand your child’s interests and abilities. If you have a concern about your child’s overall development the key person will work closely with you, using their observations and records to see if your child is developing as expected. If they are also concerned they will seek support to make sure that your child receives extra help if they need it. The most important aspect of the key person’s relationship with parents is that you can work together as a team to ensure the very best care and education for your child while they are away from home.

Find out more This article originally appeared on the Alliance’s Family Corner blog. Visit our website at familycorner.org.uk or follow us on Facebook at Facebook.com/ FamilyCornerAlliance for more advice and tips for families.

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Under 5 February 2022